危害
wēi hài · HSK 3
to harm
⚠️ 危 = danger + 害 = harm; together: to endanger or cause harm
危 carries the sense of peril or risk, while 害 means harm or injury. Combined, 危害 names the act of jeopardizing something or the harmful effect itself — used for threats to health, safety, or interests.
害 — 宀 roof + 丯 (phonetic) + 口 mouth
Originally an ideograph showing harm spoken under a roof, with 宀 (roof/house) on top, a phonetic element 丯 in the middle, and 口 (mouth) below suggesting harmful speech. Over time it shifted from 'injury caused by words' to the broader senses of 'harm,' 'injure,' and 'fear.'